Playing Games
by crazyshipperfangirl
Summary: The Circle play Truth or Dare, but it quickly turns into something more... Revelations of feelings, confessions of pasts and events of impact are all part of a tale of love, hearbreak, reconciliation and redemption. Read to find out more... *DISCONTINUED*
1. Chapter 1

Playing Games

**Hey guys! This is my first ever fanfiction so as much constructive criticism, advice and any ideas at all that you have would be much appreciated.**

**This is set during episode eight during the Circle's truth or dare, but my way. There are a few instances where I use lines from the TV show, but just because Faye seems to get the best lines in the show. This is maybe a one-shot or a multiple-chapter story, depending on how many reviews I get (hint, hint).**

**Disclaimer: Let's put it this way - if I owned the characters, books or show, Nick would be alive, Jake wouldn't know the meaning of a shirt and Adam would be a pile of miserable ashes floating down the Mississippi river.**

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><p>Faye POV<p>

The boys have fixed the generator so we can at least have some form of heat and light in this deserted house. Meanwhile, Diana and Cassie search for blankets, matches and torches. My job: find the booze. It isn't particularly strenuous, as I know that my grandpa's key to the liquor cabinet is under the vase on the mantelpiece. In it is the biggest assortment of wine, beer, cider, liquor and pretty much any and all alcoholic drinks I've seen since Adam's father's stash behind the utility room.

As I bring out the glasses, the group come into the room, one by one to sit in front of the fire, Adam and Jake both trying to keep in close proximity of Cassie, all the while, glaring daggers at each other. Diana keeps glancing at Adam, that wounded-puppy look in her eyes. It's starting to depress me now.

"So," I begin as they sit themselves down. "How exactly do you plan on spending tonight?"

Diana immediately goes into take-charge mode. "How about Scrabble? I'm sure I saw a bunch of board games upstairs."

I fake-gag. "What are you, three? I mean something fun, unless you want to get wasted, which by the way, I'm totally up for," I say, holding up the bottle of Chardonnay.

Diana is about to open her mouth when Adam answers for her. "Diana's not a drinker, so no thanks."

I roll my eyes dramatically. I hate how he does that. On one hand he and Diana are broken up but he still has a possessive way about him as if they're still together. I look to Cassie.

"Any ideas, Blondie?" I sneer.

"None, but I'm fine with anything," she says, with that fake-innocent look. Hah! I bet you she's the one who ends up the most screwed up and disturbed of all of us. And taking into account just how screwed-up we are, that's saying _something._ I turn my gaze to Jake, sitting on the couch in that leather jacket, looking into the fire, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Jake? What do you think?" I say to snap him out of his trance. It's a pain, really - ever since he's come back to Chance Harbor, he hasn't paid any attention to me.

"Oh, me?" he replies in the I'm-too-cool-to-care tone that by now, he must have mastered to perfection. "I don't know. How about... truth or dare?"

I can feel my eyes gleam with all of the possibilities running through my head.

"Seriously?" Adam interjects. "That's a sleepover game for eleven year old girls at slumber parties."

"I think it's a good idea," counters Diana. "Truth or dare sounds like fun. We could get to know each other better and ease some of the... tension... in the Circle."

I smile, as the last part an obvious reference to Jake and Adam's loathing of each other and my less than wonderful exchanges with Cassie and the unofficial leader, Diana.

"So, me first," I say. "Diana, you're up. Truth or dare?"

"I pick... Dare," she replies.

I think for a moment before answering before I come up with the best idea. "I dare you to switch clothes with Adam for the rest of the night."

The fake-smile on Diana's face quickly morphs into a look of horror as she turns to Adam, who is shaking his head.

"Absolutely not," they say in unison.

"It's not fair," protests Adam.

"It's not 'Truth or Fair', it's 'Truth or Dare'. Are you playing or not?" I smirk.

Adam and Diana exchange a despairing look before Diana sighs, gets up, and leads Adam to the bathroom to change. It's a good five minutes before they come out again, and we laugh so hard it feels like my side is going to split, practically breaking a rib from laughing so hard. Cassie and I are laughing until tears start blurring our vision; even Jake is half-smiling.

Adam and Diana shuffle in awkwardly. Adam is in Diana's skinny jeans which barely reach his mid-calves, and it's obvious that her spaghetti-strap blouse is seriously constraining his upper respiratory system. He is hobbling along in her pumps, a look of rage plastered on his face.

Diana, meanwhile, is laughing as she sits back down in her place, he form swamped in Adams's baggy jeans and T-shirt. It's probably not the first time she's worn his clothes, after all…

"Who's next?" Cassie asks, still laughing hysterically.

"My turn," says Diana. "Faye, are you choosing truth or dare?"

I sip my drink. "Truth," I reply.

"Hmm... How about... How many guys _have _you slept with?"

I roll my eyes. Seriously, other people's personal lives are all they seem to care about. I know we're bound to each other by the stupid circle, but that doesn't mean we have to tell everyone our personal information. It's not like I signed up to this life, putting my signature on an invisible contract binding me to disclosing all of me deep, dark secrets to this lot.

"Come on, Faye, you've got to answer..." Diana chides.

"Fine," I say curtly. "Two." I let that sink in as I gulp the remainder of the glass, pour another and see the looks on their faces. "Well, I guess I'm not such a super-slut as you all seem to think," I say.

There is an awkward silence before Adam pipes up. "Me next, I guess. I pick dare."

"Okay," I say, none too happy about lingering on the subject of my sex life. "I dare you to… go to the kitchen, open the freezer and put five ice cubes down your pants."

His jaw drops, eyes widen and I could swear he is pouting, just a little bit. He slowly gets up and leaves the room. The sound of painful counting can be heard, as well as our laughter, before a very angry Adam walks back in, still in Diana's clothes but now with the added bonus of five, freezing ice cubes shoved down his ex's skinny jeans.

"Happy?" he says through a clenched jaw. "Have you put me through enough misery?"

"No, not nearly enough," Jake says. It's the first time he's spoken all night, and we all seem a bit surprised. I was half expecting him to play mute until we return to Chance Harbor in the morning. Meanwhile, Adam is looking furious. You can almost see the hate being transmitted across the room. Honestly. Macho male tension is getting incredibly boring.

"At any rate, Cassie's up next," Diana interrupts the awkward silence. "Truth or dare?"

Cassie wrinkles her nose in concentration before she answers. "Dare," she says finally. "Always more fun," she adds, smiling at Adam.

Diana sees the look, and quickly decides upon Cassie's dare. "Kiss Jake," she says simply. It's the first time I've ever seen her do something mean to Adam, even slightly manipulative. Not that I'm ecstatic about Cassie lip-locking with my ex. Who does she think she is, the little blonde home-wrecking machine? I can feel anger race through me just as fast as I can see Cassie's look of surprise and Adam's look of irritation.

Cassie raises her eyebrows and makes her way to the small couch on which Jake is sitting. She sits down, ready to plant one on his lips, when he turns his face to the side, directing the kiss on to his cheek.

Cassie looks surprised, and slightly hurt. The rejection of a peck on the lips must hurt, even though it's coming from the 'bad boy'. But I should know that being turned down by a player is a bit much. However, I can't help but feel happy that he refused her. Maybe he's not interested in that little minx after all.

Cassie sits back down, still looking surprised. We resume the game. It's Jake's turn next.

"Truth or dare," Adam seethes.

"Truth," Adam replies.

Adam looks at Cassie, then Diana, then back at Cassie.

"Why did you turn your head when Cassie kissed you?" he asks. Diana looks hurt. I roll my eyes. I seem to be doing this a lot lately. I mean, these guys are so stupid, fighting over _Cassie_. What do they see in her, anyway? Is there something about a layered, long, blonde 'do that is a magnetic field, attracting all guys within a fifty-mile radius? I scan the room, exasperated, but still just a bit curious to hear Jake's answer, and Cassie's reaction.

Jake looks uncomfortable, looking anywhere except at Cassie, gazing at the fireplace, almost like he's willing it to go out. "Well, you know, I think that..." He searches desperately for an excuse. Then, the fire goes out. "...oh, would you look at that? I should probably go get some more firewood," he rambles haphazardly. He gets up and leaves the room as fast as he can without it looking like he's running. Running from Cassie, and why he didn't kiss her.

Four pairs of eyes follow him as he leaves the room, Adam's furious, Diana's satisfied, Cassie's injured and mine… Mine, _very _amused.

Now it's getting interesting.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? Do you like Chapter 1? Should I continue to explore the realm of possibilities with a JakeCassie fanfiction, or should I leave our favourite band of witches' antics at that? Do you want to find out more? Well then, REVIEW, dammit! Otherwise, what happens to Cassie and Jake will remain unknown... You don't want that, do you...? **

**You have three options:**

**I end the fanfiction and leave it as a one-shot**

**I continue and have the Circle keep on at truth or dare (if so, I need ideas, and fast!)**

**Have Cassie confront Jake about his **_**real **_**reasons for not kissing her (it'll be good, promise!)**

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Playing Games Chapter 2**

**Can I first of all send a HUGE thanks to everyone who added Playing Games to Favorites or Story/Author alerts. Thank you so much, you guys are amazing, especially: Catlover10808, helenamtavares, capfunalicious, gonebananas36, Sparxfly93, SexyReader97, summer mosabbeh, Ravyn913, jessygrl, .United, abby102030405060708090, nzchik1, sanaboo96, kad127, silentromantic925 and Marie218. You people are amazing so thank you!**

**Now, there is a terrible lack of Jake/Cassie stories on here, and as the writers of this show are most likely going down the ridiculous "written in the stars" pile of crap, this story is how I shall vent my desire for Jake and Cassie to get together. As in, like, now.**

_Jake POV_

I can feel four pairs of eyes burning holes straight through my jacket as I make a hasty exit. I mentally kick myself at my stupidity... "Get more firewood." What am I, an idiot?

_Yes_, an inner voice says. _When it comes to some things..._

_Shut up_, I say to it. _Now is not the time to go all 'lover boy.' Get it together. You can't be losing it over 5' 5 of XX chromosomes._

My inner monologue continues like this as I search for some actual firewood. Then, the sound of footsteps coming from the living room can be heard. It's getting closer and closer. I spin around quickly, fists balled. I see who it is, and calm down. Or get even more panicked. Both, really.

"Tense much," says Cassie, eyebrows raised. "Care to enlighten me on what exactly that was back there?"

"No, actually. I don't know what you mean," I reply, trying to steady my voice so that Cassie suspects nothing.

Too late. "Nice try," she smirks. "Putting out the fire deliberately and then covering by going to get some wood? Sounds like you're hiding something."

How did she know I put the fire out? I enter the early onset of panic. "I think the air out here is messing with you," I say, attempting to appear nonchalant.

Somehow, I don't think it's quite working.

"Look, we're freezing, and you're obviously hiding something, so spill," Cassie says, her tone verging on impatient. She walks towards me, and takes the scrap of wood I've found out of my hands.

"Explain. Now," she commands.

I playfully take the wood back as I say "Nothing to explain," in what I hope is a tone suggesting finality.

No such luck.

As I'm about to make my way to the door, Cassie stands in my way, hands on hips, obviously irritated now.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, Jake, what is going on!" she says, exasperated. "Adam's question's hardly something to run out of a room about, so what's wrong?"

I sheepishly look to the floor. I can see now that I'm going to have to explain everything.

"Well, it was actually Adam's question," I mumble.

Cassie rolls her eyes. "What the hell, Jake! Seriously? You really had me worried, for crying out loud. You went to such great lengths just to avoid saying you're not interested in me in front of a few other people? Jeez!"

I look around the room in a desperate attempt to avoid looking at her. Cassie steps closer to me. "Chill out, Jake. I'm a big girl. I can take a rejection, even within the realms of a half-drunken game of Truth or Dare."

"It's not that, though," I say inaudibly. Confusion spreads all over her face, then incomprehension. Holy crap, here goes nothing. "I didn't answer the question because... I am interested."

Cassie looks at me like I'm crazy. "You're interested," she drags the words out, as if they feel alien on her tongue. "In what?"

Now it's my turn to raise my eyebrows.

"What do you think, Cassie? Do I have to spell it out?"

"Well, yes," she says.

"I'm. Interested. In. You." I say the words slowly. "And the reason I went out of the room so fast is because I don't know how to deal with caring about somebody else, especially since Nick died. I feel like I left behind any opportunity to show compassion for another living thing the second I walked out on him." This I say practically all in one breath, just wanting it to be over and done with.

Cassie narrows her eyes. "Let me get this straight," she begins. "You act all sullen for the better part of this evening, run out on a game of Truth or Dare and then proclaim to me that you are interested in me but feel like a shell devoid of any emotion because you left Nick."

I nod, my shoes all of a sudden becoming very interesting. Cassie rolls her eyes.

"And so you thought the best way of showing me that you give a rat's behind about me is to, what? Avoid me kissing you for a nanosecond? Smooth move."

I can feel my cheeks burn. "To be perfectly honest, I just didn't want our first kiss to be in front of someone else or because of a kid's game," I say, the color rising up my cheeks.

First kiss? That phrase alone carries the connotations of there being subsequent liplocks, as well as my downright idiocy in sounding so goddamn cheesy. Cassie notices.

"First of all, you are blushing," she says, smiling. "And second, you just make soap opera declarations of love look mild in comparison in the corny department."

"Well, what would you have liked me to say?"

Cassie merely shakes her head in astonishment. "You, Jake Armstrong, THE playboy of western WA, lost for words. Can it be true?"

Now she's just teasing me. I decide to follow suit.

"Well, I've never been that great of a communicator."

"Just like every other guy ever known," she says quietly.

I edge closer to her ever so slightly, my breath tickling her neck. I lean in gently for a kiss, only for Cassie to turn her face to the side so my lips meet her cheek.

She laughs coyly. "Come on, even after I've spilled by guts to you?" I ask playfully.

Cassie shakes her head in mock disapproval. "Well, now we're even."

She steps towards me, so that there's barely a sheet of paper's width between us. As we both lean in...

... The door swings wide open, and lo and behold! None other than Adam, my least favorite buzz kill shows his face.

Busted.

**What did you think? Please review and let me know. If there are any suggestions at all, requests of the direction I should take this story in, and any passing comments or questions, REVIEW. It's that simple: you review, I keep on writing.**

**So.**

**What are you waiting for?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Playing Games Chapter 3**

**To everyone who reviewed or added 'Playing Games' as a Story Alert/Favorite, THANK YOU!**

**To everyone who doesn't review: Please do. It makes a difference to get reader's input and I really do appreciate it!**

**Now, I would personally like to tell the writers of the show, to either **

**1. Make Adam less annoying / less stalkerish / less of an ass**

**2. Stop making him use so much freaking eyeliner and hairgel (seriously, the Emo look is so NOT good on him) **

**Or **

**3. Just get rid of the little punk altogether (my personal favorite).**

**But enough with me ranting…**

_Cassie POV_

Adam opens the door, the beginnings of a question forming on his lips, and I'm pretty damn sure he was not expecting to see this. Within a split second, he is the epitome of fury, and I half expect steam to come out of his ears, he looks so enraged.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" he shouts, furious.

"Nothing," Jake and I say in unison.

"NOTHING! THIS IS NOT NOTHING!" he continues, and I swear, it looks like the veins in his neck are about to burst.

Adam shoots a look of such complete abhorrence at Jake, that I'm half scared that Adam has solo magic too and is on the verge of frying Jake then and there, on the spot. Jake and I exchange a look, half mortified, half amused - for the fear of death that comes with Adam's outrage, one has to take a moment to appreciate the sheer comedic beauty that is a pissed off seventeen-year-old guy in a sweetheart-necklined red blouse with spaghetti straps and skinny jeans that look like someone's just relieved their bladder in, courtesy of Faye's alternative uses for ice cubes.

I feel a smile forming on my lips, and instantaneously Adam turns on me.

"And you, what do you think you're doing?" he barks in my face. "I thought that you had some kind of standards!"

"What, that you meet?" interjects Jake. "And besides, what Cassie and I do is nobody's business."

"Cassie and you?" Adam splutters. "There is no Cassie and you. There's just Cassie, and you acting like a jerk."

"Well, I don't answer to you," I say flatly. "And you know what? It would be nice if I could get a word in edgeways now and then, considering that it is me you're permanently damaging your vocal chords for."

Adam looks from me to Jake, and back at me again. "C'mon, Cassie, seriously? This guy?" he says less viciously, referring to Jake.

I am starting to get extremely irate now. "And what exactly do you think gives you the right to interrogate me for doing nothing wrong whatsoever? I don't have to explain myself to you, Adam. You're not my mother, and I don't need to be micro-managed."

I storm out of the room, leaving Adam, with his mouth slightly agape, to feast his eyes on a very smug-looking Jake Armstrong. As I leave, all I can hear his Adam calling after me, and Jake tut-tutting.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," he quotes to a fuming Adam.

I head right out of the house from the back door, straight to the lake. I can't quite think clearly, with my head pounding like a drum solo from one of those classic rock tracks. I walk along the deck, and sit down straight on the edge, removing my socks and shoes so I can dangle my feet in the water.

As I gaze into the serene darkness of the lake, the full moon glimmering as a pearly reflection in those still waters, I can't stop thinking about Adam... and Jake. I mean, before tonight, I would've picked Adam in a heartbeat, but now, I'm not so sure.

The romantic in me wants to believe in a love written in the stars, but I feel now like it's no more than that - an attractive fantasy that we all secretly crave, the eternal, foretold love. Nothing more than wishful thinking that lures us in, simply because no such thing actually exists. The Romeos' and Juliettes', the Heathcliffs' and Katherines' of this world are treasured in our hearts because they represent an impossible dream, the inherent desire to be loved, but heaped with the addition of it being "true" love. The reality is that there is no such thing. The closest thing to true love that exists is a love that makes you want to believe in forever and always, not one that actually lasts that long.

As I am dawned with this realization, my head turns to practicalities as well as emotional fantasies - there is Diana to think about as well. Why on earth would I go and ruin the best friendship I've ever had - no guy should come between your friends, after all. Considering everything she's done for me, I can't go and stomp all over her heart right now. She obviously still loves Adam, and is having a hard enough time holding it together as it is.

And Adam, well, he's acting so bloody jealous and we're not even dating - he hasn't even asked me out, and he's acting like I'm his property. And if he did ask me out, I don't know that I would say yes - I would never want to be with someone who made my choices for me. I can understand wanting to look after me, but an outright shouting match over what? A not-even-kinda-sorta kiss?

_Oh, crap, I almost kissed Jake_, I think to myself. _How did that happen?_

_Well_, the little voice in my head starts, _he told you he's interested in you and you almost kissed. I'd say the feeling's mutual._

This takes a while to sink in - do I really like Jake - in that way? Of course, he's attractive, I'll happily concede to that; you'd have to be blind not to notice. But is he actually capable of caring about someone or am I just a potential fling?

I know the answer just as I ask myself the question: Jake is actually showing emotion for something other than leather jackets and V-necked pullovers - a Herculaneum feat in and of itself.

And speaking of the devil incarnate...

"God, Cassie, you must be freezing!" comes Jake's voice as he walks towards me. "What are you doing out here?"

"Jeez, you're worse than Adam," I joke. I laugh, as I see the look on Jake's face. "I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet," I say.

He raises his hands in surrender and backs off. "Well, I wouldn't want to intrude on your enjoyment of the peace, then," he replies.

"You don't have to go," I say, perhaps a bit too quickly. "I mean, unless you want to," I try to amend hastily.

"I guess I could stay," he says slowly. "Just to see how peaceful it really is."

He sits down next to me, on the docks, just a few inches away from me but still a we're-just-friends kind of distance. I'm almost disappointed.

We both gaze out across the lake, looking at the sky, to see the millions of stars twinkle in the sky like tiny jewels reflecting light. The stars seem like they're laughing at us, giggling away at a shared joke.

We drink in the silence, savoring every moment where something could be said, but isn't; every moment when volumes is communicated although no lips utter a sound.

Finally, I break the silence. "Where are Diana and Faye?" I ask, not wanting to kill the mood by enquiring as to whether Adam has self-combusted yet.

"Well, Faye's passed out, completely wasted, and Diana's with Adam, trying to calm him the heck down with a nice game of Scrabble, the last time I checked," he says.

"Scrabble?" I ask, even though I heard it perfectly the first time. "That is _so_ typical Diana."

"Always lending a helping hand," Jake agrees.

There is a pause. "Exactly how wasted _is_ Faye?" I ask, trying to make small talk.

"Wasted as in, Diana and I had to carry her upstairs because she is so hammered. Her mom is _not_ going to be happy tomorrow," Jake replies.

"Classic Faye," I continue. "I suppose that she's had a rough time, losing her dad and her mom being so busy with being the principal of a high school."

Jake looks uncomfortable and I immediately feel rotten for bringing up the subject of losing a parent with a guy who's lost both. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I mean, everyone's had a rough time, Adam, Diana, Nick, and you," I say - far too quickly.

"It's okay," he says, forcing a smile. "How about you and I do something a bit less morbid than sit around talking about Faye and the untimely demise of our parents?"

"I don't know," I reply to Jake. "Apart from joining Diana and Adam playing Scrabble, what did you have in mind?"

"Yeah, riveting though that sounds, I'll pass on the board games," he says. He looks out and gestures at the lake. "I was thinking more like this."

I tilt my head in confusion. "What?" I ask. Then, realization dawns. "Skinny dipping?" I ask, slightly terrified.

"Great minds think alike," he says. "Come on, it'll be fun."

I look at him in not-so-mock horror. "You said so yourself, it's freezing," I say, in a desperate attempt to stall. "And, we don't know how deep it is, and -"

"Only one way to find out," Jake says, as he unbuttons his shirt and removes his belt.

I gulp.

Jake looks at me sardonically. "Are you going to take off your clothes or will I have to?" he asks, completely serious.

I try to ignore just how suggestive that sounds, and take off my shirt, just as Jake is removing his jeans.

I follow suit.

We look at each other, and count down. "Three, two, one..."

Then we jump.

The water is actually freezing, and I don't think it qualifies as water, it's so icy. Just when I think that things can't possibly get any worse, they do.

From out of nowhere, Jake grabs my waist and flips me in the water, so I am forced fully underwater.

I shriek, and try to cling onto him for dear life, but he pushes me away, and I end up mixing in a fair number or curse words that would make a grown man cringe.

"Cassie, language," Jake mock-chides, as he swims towards me.

"God, Jake! Why did you even think to do this?" I say.

"I thought it would be fun," Jake tries to say innocently, but with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

For a second there, we have 'a moment', both just looking at the other, not caring about the world, or the fact that we stand a good chance of dying out here in the middle of the lake in nothing more that our underwear.

I look away. "We should probably go back in," I say, nodding my head towards the light of the boathouse.

As I'm about to swim back to the deck, Jake does the unthinkable.

"Cassie, wait," he says.

And then, it happens.

He pulls me straight to him, and kisses me. In the middle of a bloody lake, he kisses me.

It's so fast and unexpected that I don't even have time to be shocked. Instead, I just feel. I feel the fire coursing through my body, even though I'm in ice water; I feel his lips on mine, and nothing else. Him and me, me and him - him running his hands through my wet hair, me wrapping my legs around his middle so as to get a better hold.

We keep on like this, until we both have to gasp for air, as we barely even realize that oxygen is needed, we were so absorbed in... well, making out.

In the water.

In the middle of a freaking _lake_.

In the middle if the night, in winter, no less.

And as soon as that concept catches up with us, we break apart - albeit reluctantly - and swim back to the deck. Considering that it wasn't exactly a planned event, we have no towels, and no change of clothes, so we just climb up on deck, and grab out clothes as fast as we can, laughing and shivering.

We sprint back to the lake house, and run right to the fire in the living room, sopping wet. Jake and I can't seem to stop looking at each other, still not quite comprehending what just took place between us, not that I'm complaining.

The astonished forms of Diana and Adam, sitting playing Scrabble right in front of us, jaws at the floor and eyes popping out of their heads...

Now, _they_ are a completely different story.

**What do you think? Should I continue? Once again you, the readers, have three options:**

**1) End fanfic**

**2) Continue, and have Cassie find out about Jake's witch-hunter status (If you choose this, you really have to tell me how this should happen - should he confess, should they get ambushed and she find out, etc. – in short, YOU need to tell me or it's not going to happen!)**

**3) Cassie and Jake are bombarded with the little green monster x2 in the forms of Adam and Faye (once she's over her hangover, obviously)**

**The fate of 'Playing Games' is in your hands.**

**Start typing.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Playing Games Ch 4**

**Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! I wasn't expecting such insightful and helpful feedback, so thank you and keep it up! It was a close call between options 2 and 3, with about the same number of votes for each - so I have to incorporate both. I'm sorry to everyone who wanted just one or the other, but it was a tie. Just to let you know, things will take some building up to, so this is most likely a kinda-filler-ish chapter, and fairly choppy, for which I apologize. Happy reading (and reviewing)!**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

Adam and Diana look from me to Jake and back to me in complete horror mixed with shock. "What... the... hell?" says Adam finally after an awkward pause.

"You know what, I don't even want to know," interrupts Diana, whose sixth sense regarding Adam is screaming to get him out of the room as soon as possible before a full-blown fistfight happens. She leads a spluttering Adam out of the room, and leaves Jake and me to dry. But, as she leaves, she shoots me a look that says, 'you are telling me _everything_ later', and I can see just a glimmer of gladness that it isn't Adam that I've just had a moonlit swim with.

When we're sure Adam and Diana are upstairs, Jake and I exchange a look, and then I burst out laughing at the same time. I don't even know why. Nobody's told a joke; maybe it's the look on their faces, or just the complete absurdity of the whole situation. Jake looks at me strangely, and I stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asks.

"I don't even know," I reply, and there I go again. This time, Jake is laughing too; maybe with me and the as-yet-unidentified humorous incident, or maybe at my unpredictability tonight.

By the time we're dried, our clothes are wearable again and we've wrung the water from our hair, we're not saying much. I don't think either of us knows what to say, so silence engulfs us. But not an awkward silence: instead, it's a kind of peaceful silence, the kind of peaceful of the sea, after a storm.

The drive home is uncomfortable to say the least, but that's just because Adam had the great idea of coming with me... and Jake. In my car. This left Diana to drive Faye home, as she deduced that bringing home a hung-over teen back to her mother was probably best done by her, and not some boy. Especially not Jake. Somehow I get the vibe that Jake wasn't exceedingly popular with the mothers in this town.

As we get into the car, I take the driver's seat, and Jake and Adam try to race to take the passenger seat beside me. I figure that this is probably not the best start to a two-hour road trip so I basically command them both to sit at the back. They're not happy.

"So," I begin, attempting desperately to make conversation instead of withering away in a strained and tense car. "What kind of sports are you guys into?"

"Soccer," says Adam.

"Ice hockey," says Jake.

_Okay,_ I think. Sports don't work. _Let's try..._

"What kind of music do you like, then?" I try.

"Rock," they both say.

_Finally, something they have in common,_ I think.

"What kind of rock?" I continue, hoping to further the one thing apart from loathing the other that they have in common.

"Classic rock," Jake says.

"Punk rock," Adam says.

Jake scoffs slightly. "Explains the quiff," he mutters under his breath.

"What did you say?" questions Adam defensively.

"Oh, nothing," replies Jake. "I just have a cough."

I roll my eyes at their ridiculous competitiveness.

"Why you little-" Adam starts.

"Cut it out!" I plead. "I'm driving. Unless you get along or shut up, I'm going to drive your behinds into a ditch."

They shut up, for now.

Needless to say, it's a long ride home.

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><p>After we've dropped a reluctant Adam off at the boathouse, I head back to Jake's. As I park and we get out of the car, Jake walks me to my door.<p>

"So," I say at the porch. "About last night..." I can feel a blush appearing on my cheeks as I bring up the subject.

"What about it?" Jake says.

"I'm not sure what to think about it, and I think that... We could maybe talk it out or something over a coffee," I gush. The last part I pose as a question.

I can feel his gaze burning a searing hole through me as he says, "Sure. How about tomorrow?"

"Ok," I say, trying hard to sound casual and not at all flustered. "Tomorrow."

He walks away, back to his house. I open my front door, walk in, close it, lock it and just stand, a ridiculous smile creeping up my face.

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><p><em>Jake POV<em>

My phone beeps, and I know by the alert that it's a text. I check my pocket and reach for my phone. It's from Isaac.

_Meet me at the boardwalk at 10._

My gaze shift quickly from the phone in my hand to Cassie's window. I can see her house from my room. Right now, I can see her, sitting at her desk, probably doing math homework and hating every second of it.

I look back at my phone, then back at Cassie. And for the first time, I'm questioning which side I'm on.

The witch hunters with one mission and one mission only, or the novice coven with a certain blonde.

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><p>I shiver as I tuck my hands into my jacket. It's a cold night, colder than usual. Maybe it's nature's way of telling me to turn around and go home. Too bad I can't.<p>

By the boardwalk is the dark, thin form of Isaac. He turns to face me as I approach him, his pale skin luminescent in the dark, his expressionless, blank yet cruel eyes staring at me.

"I'm glad you came," he says. "It's time."

"Time?" I question.

"Yes," Isaac replies. "We've come across a certain complication and the plan has to change."

"What complication?"

"The girl – Cassie. She poses more of a threat than we realized."

I begin to panic. "Cassie? What's wrong with her?"

"Her blood," Isaac says. "It is old, and dark. Her father, John Blackwell comes from a long line of dark magic. The oldest line. The Balcoin line."

My eyes open wide. The Balcoins were the most powerful, dangerous and destructive witches, full to the brim with evil magic that eventually consume them. "How is that possible? How do you know this?" I ask.

"The Balcoins changed their name to Blackwell, but it doesn't dilute the full extent of their power. So Cassie has both Blake and Blackwell lineage. She's more than just another witch that must be exterminated. She's a threat. Only a special ceremony can cure her of her evil. For that, you need to bring her to me," explains Isaac. "And as for how I know," he adds, "I have my sources."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Cassie, evil? It seems impossible. How could she be able to do all these bad things Isaac is telling me about? I gulp. "But surely Cassie can fight it. She's a good person, and she's a Blake. The darkness doesn't have to consume her." I can't believe I'm pleading her case. What's gotten into me?

Isaac looks at me suspiciously. "Do you... Have feelings for her?" he asks after a moment of pause.

I look the other way. "Of course not," I reply, and try to change the subject. "By when do you need her?"

"We need to channel the energy of a natural event. Bring her to me at the clearing in the woods by full moon, tomorrow night."

He walks away, leaving me with the prospect of bringing the one person that I've cared about since I left this town to their death. To betray her trust, to see the look in her eyes. I don't know how I'm going to do it.

_Then don't_, says that voice in my head. It's really starting to interfere with my personal life lately. _There must be another way. You don't have to kill the ones you care about._

_But how?_ I ask myself. _Is there really a way out of this?_

_And if there is, can I find it fast enough?_

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

I pin the last stray strands of blonde frizz into place and take a final inspectoral look at myself in my mirror. Simple floral dress, cropped denim jacket and patent blue ballet flats are what I managed to find, and a pearl bracelet, pop-art tote and my mother's old pendant are all I have in the way of accessories. I feel a wave of sadness as I look at my mom's pendant. It was one of the only things that were found after the house burned down, and those five words turned my world upside down: _She didn't make it out._

I give myself a shake. I can't go out on a date with the attitude of a moody, suicidal teen. I grab my keys, leave the house and jump into my car, heading into town, turning the radio up. The latest cheesy love song is playing, and I can't help but smile and hum along.

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><p>I walk into the boathouse, and see Jake immediately in a far corner. He waves as I approach him, and I can see he is decked out in his usual – leather jacket and all. I'm beginning to wonder if he ever takes it off.<p>

"Hey," he says.

"Hi," I reply, and sit down opposite him. We make small talk, about the weather, the latest sports game, that ridiculous band on MTV last night, so on and so forth. The waiter comes and we order, Jake an espresso, me a latte. Then, I notice that Jake is looking around shiftily. I raise my eyebrows.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"What? Nothing," he replies. Now I'm convinced that something's up.

"Seriously, Jake," I say firmly.

He looks around, to check that nobody's listening. "Fine," he says. "I have something to tell you. Something really important."

I start to get worried now. What is this? Jake is never this… odd. I open my mouth to speak, but he interrupts me. "Not here," he says.

I stand up, and grab my things. "Then let's go," I say. Whatever is going on, I can tell that I need to know.

We stand up, pay hurriedly and leave the boathouse.

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><p><strong>So, I know that this was a filler chapter, but there are a few things that needed to take place before I can get on to the good stuff. Please review, review, and review! I love to hear from you and it helps a LOT. <strong>

**So get to it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Playing Games Ch 5**

**I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in ages, but I've a whole bunch of stuff going on. But regardless, here is Chapter 5. Read, subscribe, and don't forget to review!**

**PS: for the purposes of advancing the plotline, please assume that Cassie and the circle are fully informed about her dark magic, Balcoin/Blackwell stuff, etc. I just feel like there are enough fanfics detailing with that, and I will too, just not in this chapter.**

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><p><em>Jake POV<em>

I open the door to my room and throw my bag on my bed. Cassie looks at me pointedly.

"Is this your lame attempt to get me back to your room?" she asks. "Because -"

"I'm serious," I interrupt. "I have to tell you something important, and you're not going to like it."

Cassie looks worried. Given what I'm about to tell her, she should be. "Maybe we should sit," I say, gesturing to the bed. She slowly places her bag on the floor and sits down on my bedspread. I follow suit.

"Cassie," I begin, looking straight at her and taking her hands in mine, "Everyone here will be all too happy to tell you what a horrible person I was when I lived here last," I say. "Adam, Faye, Ethan, Diana, the list goes on."

"Yeah, but you're nothing like that anymore," Cassie interjects. "You can't let your past define you. We all make mistakes."

I feel a rush of warmth that comes with Cassie's trust in me. It makes me feel even worse about myself, what I've done and what I'm about to confess - to the one person in my life who I've ever really cared about.

I shake my head. "You're wrong, Cassie," I say. "Your past is everything. And it doesn't matter what you say, that doesn't detract from the horrible things that I've done. And continue to do." I say this last part more quietly than the rest.

"Continue to do? What horrible things do you continue to do?" Cassie's brow is furrowed with worry, her voice brimming with concern.

"You have to know one thing, Cassie," I say, savoring what may be the last few moments I'll ever spend looking into her eyes, face to face.

"What?" Cassie asks softly.

"I really do care about you, and I never meant for this to happen."

"Meant for what to happen?"

"I was never meant to fall for you."

Cassie blushes. "Why?"

"My job wouldn't allow it."

"What job?" I can hear the impatience in her voice now.

"The mission Isaac set me," I say. I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "I'm a witch hunter."

I look closely at her face, and see first confusion, then realization, then rage. She pulls herself away from me and stands up.

"How could you?" she cries, tears spilling from her eyes, streaking her face. "I trusted you, and you went behind my back and tried to what? Kill me? Kill the entire circle? I thought you were past that, Jake! I thought..." she pauses, her voice cracking. "... I thought what is going on between us is real. I guess I was wrong, huh?" She laughs spitefully.

"Cassie, it's not like that!" I protest.

"Then what? What is it like?" she yells wildly. She looks a beautiful mess, her hair wild, her mascara running down her face, all the while, stunning. "Is this the point at which you try to tell me why you are trying to kill me? Was this all part of your plan? To tell me that you're a witch hunter and then murder me in cold blood?"

"No, not at all," I say, trying desperately to salvage the remnants of what was at least an understanding, a bond between us. "When I skipped town, I was crazy. I hated everything; I hated everyone, but nothing more than magic. I thought it was the magic of witches that had killed my parents, and that eventually killed my brother. I wanted revenge for their deaths, Cassie, and when Isaac found me, he twisted my mind into thinking that the only way I could avenge my parents' deaths was to exterminate the state of being that killed them - magic."

I am pleading at this point, trying to find Cassie's eyes, and she is looking into mine. She is trying to find a reason to believe me. She doesn't want it to be true; that I was ready to kill her is a reality that she doesn't want to acknowledge. Her bottom lip trembles slightly.

"Why?" she says almost inaudibly. "I cared about you. You were one of us." She steps closer to me. "I should hate you," she says. "I should kill you here and now, because we both know that I can. If dark magic is channelled through anger and pain, than I can strike you down in five seconds."

My thumb traces her cheek, wiping a single tear from her face. "You wouldn't," I say quietly.

I can see her bright eyes glisten from the tears, and I feel guiltier that I have to tell her this than I've ever felt in my life. Corny as it sounds, I don't want to disappoint her. I want her to be able to trust me and to trust that I have her back, not that I'm going to stab a dagger in it. Which is probably what she's feeling right now.

"Cassie," I say. "I mean it. I do care about you."

"And you expect me to believe you?" she replies, incredulous. "After you admit to being part of a plan to slaughter me, and the rest of your circle - your brother's circle?"

I flinch at the mention of Nick, and feel a pinch of salt being poured on the open, raw wound that hasn't fully healed yet. Cassie picks up on this.

"How would he react to this?" she questions. "Is this how he would want you to live your life?" Her voice is softer now, but I can still feel pure anger radiating from her body.

"We lost Nick far too early," Cassie says. "And it's for him, for the memory of our parents' circle, for what you and I could have been, it's for everything that we were and everything we could've done that I'm not going to kill you here and now." Cassie says this, her voice trembling, her shoulders shaking. "Leave us alone, leave Chance Harbor, and never come back. If you do, I won't spare you. The rest of the circle won't spare you."

I feel sadness spread over my being. I knew that telling Cassie would be the end of whatever prospective relationship we could have had, but hearing her cut me out of her life feels like she's cut off my right arm. And no doubt, the rest of the circle will be delighted to hear that they don't have to grit their teeth and accept me, because I was a traitor all along and Cassie kicked me to the curb. And of course, Adam will be very happy indeed that he can serve as a shoulder to cry on, and then make a move. But that's the way it has to be. That's the way it was always going to be, I guess. It's my fault, and I'll have to live with it. I clench my fist.

"Fine," I say. "I'll leave." I utter those two words that change everything. Cassie looks away, like she can't bear to see my face right now. As she turns to leave, I stop her by grabbing a hold of her hand. I spin her to me and press my lips to hers, for the last time. Our kiss is salty and corrosive, from Cassie's tears that have run down her face; yet it is soft, and lingering, like we're trying to pour every kiss we could have shared into this one. Eventually, when we break apart, my mouth brushes her ear as I whisper to her my last words.

"Goodbye, Jake. I'm sorry things ended this way," she says quietly. That's it. The last thing she says to me. And then, she turns around, picks up her bag, and leaves. My eyes are glued to her form as I watch her rush out of my room, run down the stairs and through the front door. When I hear the definitive, final 'click' of the front door shutting, I fall to the floor, a crumpled mess. And, for what I think is the first time in years, a single drop escapes from my eye, and rolls down my cheek.

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><p><strong>Whatcha think! Apologies for this chapter being so short, but it's quality, not quantity...Right? I'm also REALLY sorry for not updating in forever, but I wanted to make this chapter perfect. Tell me what you think of it, and also which direction you'd like me to take the story in. I have 3 vague ideas in my head, but I'll let you lot choose:<strong>

**1. Time skip to several months/years later, and have a Jake/Cassie reunion. (If you choose this, you need to tell me how - Cassie's in trouble, or Jake returns when the circle have settled down and forgotten about him, etc. YOU NEED TO TELL ME or it ain't gonna happen!)**

**2. Cassie goes home, is depressed and eventually runs back to Jake. (I have to admit, a little bit unrealistic.)**

**3. Jake leaves, never to return. End of fanfic, and I leave things as a 'what if', reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy.**

**You decide. Or leave any other suggestions, ideas or comments. But you know, there's this thing called Writer's Block. She's a bitch. Make sure she doesn't take over this story and REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Playing Games Ch 6**

**I know that I've been a total fail in updating lately, and I apologize a thousand times over for that. My teachers are trying to suffocate me with homework, so unfortunately this story has taken the hit.**

**Thanks for the great feedback, especially Kats02980416, to whom I dedicate this chapter. You are amazing! As for which option I am going with, I'm not going to tell you... Stick it out and be patient, dear readers. All will be uncovered soon...**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

I slam the door shut behind me, and fall to my knees, a withering mess. Feelings of rage, betrayal, hurt and incomprehension swirl inside of my pounding head, a firework display setting off a million sparklers all at once.

I can feel the sharp sting of corrosive tears that have burned a trail through my skin, and I raise a trembling hand to my burning lips. I close my eyes, and I can still taste him on my lips, and am consumed by both a fiery fury and numbness. Fury at what he is and does, numbness at the gnawing, empty feeling, as if someone has died and I haven't processed it yet. My body is in a state of shock, my brain in a state of mental overload.

I feel as if I'm turning into the universe, both expanding at an unimaginable speed and collapsing in on myself at the same time. My entire personal universe is shattering around me in a million different pieces, like a piece of glass shattering on impact into a thousand shards that if you touch, will cut your hands to shreds.

And here I am, left on the floor like that broken glass, having to accept the fact that I have to reconstruct my universe, just without him.

And that cuts more than any shard of broken glass ever could.

I can sense the sudden rush of tears rise to my eyes, but I shut my lids tightly, willing myself to stop the overflow of pain and anger.

It's during times like these when no amount of resolve, no feat of willpower is enough to stem the pipes, to prevent the waterworks from being turned on. Truth be told, the split second Jake confessed, the pipes in me broke, and now I'm flooding. I'm drowning. And there's not a damn thing I can do to stop it.

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><p><em>Jake POV<em>

I load the last duffel into my truck with ease, even though my arm feels like it's going to break from the weight I feel on my shoulders. I take a final look at my house, Nick's house, my parents' house. All of the few memories that I have of the time when we were a family are within those walls. The remains of happiness lie in the skeletons of that timber-framed structure, and now it's time to say goodbye.

Goodbye to Cassie, the Circle, whatever chance of belonging I could've had with them died the second I opened my mouth last night. In that nanosecond, I could see a marked change in how she looks at me. Before, it was care, friendliness, even hope for the future. After, she looked at me like I had just confessed to murdering her entire family. The worst part is, the truth isn't far off from that premise. I was all decked out to kill her circle, our circle - the only real family any of us have left anymore.

My eyes wander from the porch of my house to Cassie's. I could almost feel her ache when I told her, almost feel the pain and betrayal. The stark, raw rage in her eyes led me to think for a moment that she was going to end my life then and there. But she didn't. She spared me. She gave me one window to run out, and much as I hate to, I have to take it. It's dangerous for me to be around her and the rest of the circle, and I can't let them get hurt because of my blind fury at magic.

I look left and right, both ways down the street, and check that the coast is clear. Then, I make a stealthy dash across the road to Cassie's house. I know that Cassie will have bolted the door, so mad and confused was she last night. But her window...

I go around the back of the house, to right under Cassie's window. My premonition is right - she hasn't closed it. I carefully climb up the side, using a conveniently placed vine to assist me. When I swing over the ledge into Cassie's room, I see her form lying on her bed. I can see her hair is messy, her cheeks streaked with tears.

A pang of guilt stabs me as I realize I did this to her. I ruined the one good thing I had – our friendship. I told her what I was, and she hates me now. I don't know what I was thinking when I ran to the witch hunters; why the hell would I – could I – join a group that dedicated themselves to killing me? And how could I have been prepared to kill Cassie. She didn't deserve that, to have trusted me and believed in me and stood up for me all to what? To find out that I was going to slaughter her just as the witch hunters had slaughtered our parents.

But it had to be done. I had to tell her. If and when we do end up together, it has to be on equal footing, no deep dark secrets, no hidden assassination plans. Thrilling as they seem in tales of espionage, all they do in real life is shatter hope and crush spirits. We can't hide things from each other, and I would've hurt Cassie even more had I confessed after we decided to be a couple. This way, she can just hate me without missing me as much. The only one who has to double over in pain will be me, as it should – it's my fault, and I have to live with the consequences.

And guilt is an inescapable feeling right now. I left Cassie furious, and she says she never wants to see me again. We both know she doesn't mean that, but pushing her limits is not a good idea by staying any longer. But I need to say goodbye in my own way, drink in the sight of her curled up like a kitten without her seething fury. I walk around the room to her bed, careful to not walk on that one squeaky floorboard and wake her. I make my way to her sleeping body, and see her sleeping, so peaceful. I bend down, and place a fleeting kiss on her cheek. I smile bittersweetly as I remember how this whole thing started when I turned my face to avoid her kissing my cheek. I place a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear, and press my lips to her ear.

"I'll be back for you, Cassie. Sweet dreams."

And I make my exit as quickly as my entrance, leaving the way I came, back to the truck.

I open the door, and put my keys into the ignition. A small smile forms on my lips as I think of the sleeping girl. I'll do as she told me, for now. I'll leave this sleepy town with the dozens of undiscovered secrets. But I'm not done with Cassie yet. We still have some unfinished business we need to handle. I take one parting look at her house, and start the car. The corners of my lips turn upwards, if just by a millimeter and a half.

"Cassie Blake, you and I are far from over."

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><p><strong>Apologies for a very short chapter, I've been swamped with assignments lately. Also, sorry if you wanted some Cassie and Jake action in this chapter; I just feel like character development and showing true feelings is better than a smash-bang-I-forgive-you-let's-make-out kind of story. It is not what I'm trying to do with this fanfic, so sorry if you were disappointed - just remember, angsty buildups to a grand finale are totally worth it (at least in my experience).<strong>

**Love it or hate it, please review, leave a comment, suggestion or PM me. They make me all fuzzy... (Insert puppy dog pout here)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Playing Games Ch 7**

**I have been crap at updating, but if you want to read more Playing Games, leave a review and I will be inspired a hell of a lot faster. You are my muse, so REVIEW. (...please...)**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

Sometimes I wonder why there are some days when I don't even think about him and others when he's the only thought on my mind. Sometimes I wonder why he did what he did, other times I almost understand. Sometimes I want to hate him till the end of time, and others I want to forget he ever existed. Sometimes I try to push him out of my head, and others I am consumed by images of a life that could have been. But I'll never know what could have been. He ruined that. He nipped that opportunity in the bud just as he ripped the circle apart when he left. And the worst part is, I forced him to leave. In the blinding rage I cast him from my life, and I've been wondering whether it was the right decision to make ever since that second in his room when I stormed out.

I don't know how I even got through it without him. My dark magic was consuming me, and no one else in the circle quite understood. They wanted me to fight the dark magic, to end its reign of terror over our lives. But what they didn't realize is that to protect the circle without Jake I would have to learn not how to fight the darkness, but how to control it. If I could be in control, then I could fight the witch hunters and all the others who would do us harm. I could channel the power I had been seemingly cursed with and try to make use of it so I can stay alive.

At first the rest of the circle were beyond hostile. They couldn't believe that I had trusted Jake, and were furious that I had tried to make them give him a chance in the first place. Adam especially, wanted nothing to do with me for a long time. But eventually he got over it. He let me back into his life, and I learnt how to move on. Even though we had never been official, Jake's betrayal was like the worst breakup I could have ever had.

So Adam and I got closer, and the rest of the circle accepted me back in, and if not for my sake than their own, we found a way to get along if just to stop the witch hunters. To this day I still don't know how we did it. We stopped them. We ended at least five generations of being hunted and managed to forge a way to peace.

I think I did it for Jake's sake too. A part of me will always want to avenge what they did to him – for now I truly do believe that Jake is not evil. I can't allow myself to think that, to think that I could ever care for someone evil. Instead, I chose not to waste my years mourning, missing and being mad at him when I could avenge his mistreatment by the witch hunters, the real ones to blame. They brainwashed a boy to do their dirty. Ever head of the saying that a young assassin is the deadliest? That's because they're easy to manipulate, to indoctrinate, to poison. They fed Jake lies from a poisoned chalice, knowing that by the time his thoughts could be clear again, the accursed liquid would be flowing as his bloodstream.

So when I delivered the last blow as I struck the dagger into Eben's heart for the last time, when I broke Isaac's neck with one tilt of the head, I did it for Jake. If they hadn't manipulated him when he was at his lowest, he wouldn't have disappeared. Or rather, I wouldn't have had reason to send him away. We could have been friends. Or more.

But that's not happening now. That's not what happened then. Jake left, and I had to move on from his. I wonder if I should feel guilty that I have moved on, but I never do. I know that Jake would want me to be happy, even if it's with someone else. But the voice in my head knows better. The reason I'm never guilty is because I don't have any reason to. For it knows that deep down, I haven't moved on. It's hard enough to end regular relationships, ones that have run their course, but moving on and finding closure, closing a door on something that is over, can't happen when a part of you knows that all you can ever really do is walk away from a door that is just half-open, unfinished, incomplete.

But the other part of me, the one that wanted to keep our circle alive, to end the witch hunters, fought on. I could wallow in self-pity for the rest of my life or I could get on with it and survive. That's why I tried so hard. So I could survive. Because I know that if I didn't at least fight to live, if I just gave up and let myself die, Jake would've killed me himself.

We as a circle then found our last Books of Shadows, we tracked down the crystals, we used every last resource we could to protect ourselves. Finally we managed to perform a ritual which meant that if anyone with malevolent intentions towards us, anyone who wanted to steal our power or kill us, would drop dead if they came within ten kilometers of us individually. One may think that instant death is too harsh, but we're witches, and we can't take any chances. There are too many out there who want us dead or drained of power, and too many ways that they can do it. So dropping off like flies still leaves plenty more to come after us, and ten kilometers was the maximum distance I could stretch out of the spell.

The only problem was, we needed every member of the circle. And with Jake gone, it was going to be impossible. But Diana, ever the one to read the fine print, found a loophole in the spell. We only needed to have an important item that belonged to each member of the circle there. And Jake had left behind the perfect thing. His leather jacket. He left it behind for me, and I'll never know if he knew I would need it for the spell that would save our lives, or just if he wanted to leave me something to remember him by.

Like I could ever forget him.

And there we were, performing a ritual around a fire; in the very same spot where we bound the circle. Fitting, wouldn't you think? That we end this hell the same place it started. So with the five of us and Jake's jacket, and using our blood to form a spelled ink, we wrote in the air with a feather, the spell, and recited the incantation.

_Sanguis beatos maledictus qui salvos faciet nos malum._

Ironic how words can so simply change everything. And when the words that I waited day and night for to come finally arrived in the mail, I exchanged Chance Harbor for the skyline of Seattle as part of a scholarship to University of Washington studying Medieval History, I jumped at the chance. I wanted so bad to leave this place, even if it was to major in the period most enthusiastic about burning my ancestors. And by hell, you can never know enough about your enemies.

I left a faithful Adam behind, who studied here in Chance Harbor; Business Studies so he could take over the Boathouse after Ethan truly went off his rocker. Diana went off to immerse herself in UC Berkley Law School, whilst Melissa turned around and became a therapist specializing in support groups dealing with grief and loss. Darling Faye, on the other hand took off to the East Coast to ride the electric bull known as Politics. That girl always did love power. If magic wasn't her ticket to the throne, she was always going to find another way.

But Faye, Melissa, Diana and I returned to Chance Harbor for good, as like it or not, we were bound and need to stay together. I can't believe what all we've been through together. From loathing to loving, we are well and truly stuck with one another.

Except for Jake. He never once showed his face after that night. I think he really took me seriously when I told him to leave, as he hasn't ever contacted us since. No cards, phone calls, letters, no nothing. I still remember that night, the look on his face, the pain in his eyes.

It was ten years, eleven weeks and three days ago.

I glance to my alarm clock to see that it reads 0251. Then, my eyes wander to my closet, in which hangs a dress.

A white dress.

And on my finger, there is a ring.

A diamond ring.

And on this day, I'll forever walk away from Jake.

I'll have to, because on this day, I'm walking down the aisle.

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><p><strong>Soooooo. Whatcha think of mass time skip? Should I keep stuff in Cassie's POV or do y'all want some Jake inner monologue? Just to let you know, writer's block is a BITCH. So I'll leave things to you, my lovelies. Choose an option, and please detail how you would like it to happen.<strong>

**1) Cassie and Adam are about to tie the knot when a curse activates on her and Cassie needs Jake's help to reverse it or she will die in 24 hours (What kind of curse? How should they reverse it?)**

**2) Jake turns up and tries to stop the wedding right during the "speak now or forever hold your peace" shit (How? What does he say?)**

**3) Cassie reconsiders marrying Adam and runs away from Chance Harbor only to run into Jake (What happens next?)**

**My dearest reader, I implore you, click on the button below, type away, and make this story waaaaay better, make it continue faster, and make my day ;-)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Playing Games Ch 8**

***holds head down in shame***

**I know, I know, I've been gone for a long time but I'm back, with my longest chapter ever! I had an insane couple of weeks, plus ten days in San Diego for Spring Break. Why? WHY? Why can't the rest of the world have the same goddamn awesome weather as southern California?**

**Anyhow, I just want to quickly address some of the comments I got on the last chapter. A few people were confused or concerned with my mass time skip, so to clarify, I did it because I frankly don't want to write about how they fight the witch hunters, because that's what going on with the show right now. And the show right now is annoying, because Cassie is so hung up on Adam. (Seriously, was anyone else glad when they broke up, regardless of the reasons?)**

**With regards to jumping 10 years, I also wanted Cassie to grow into her own person without Jake's constant physical presence, and experience a real relationship with Adam when she got over the fact that Jake was gone. I know this sounds weird, but I wanted her to have something with someone other than Jake, because nothing makes you realize what you're missing out on than having to settle for the next best thing. At least I think so... in a weird, twisted way...**

**Hope I cleared that up, and if anyone of you has any other comments, feel free to PM me. Apologies for the longest Author's Note ever, but I digress...**

**Remember to read and review!**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

_My feet crunch on fallen leaves scattered about the forest floor as they follow the hooded figure. My ears prick as they hear another eerie sound, the ghost of a whisper, like a ribbon of black silk caressing my senses. My heartbeat races, as my footsteps trail the noise. Fumbling past the thorns of bushes and branches of trees, I follow the sounds until I find myself in a broad clearing. A ray of sunshine beams down from a gap in the canopy-like cover provided by the trees overhead. As my eyes squint to accommodate this new light, I can make out a thin outline of a circle. I walk closer to it, until I step inside of it._

_Then, without warning, dozens of those previously seen hooded figures appear. Except, they aren't hooded anymore. Scarred faces, rough and calloused skin and years of weatherbeaten wear indicate to me that I am in the presence of those with plans for me that are less than promising._

_Witch hunters._

_They start coming towards me from all angles, chanting lines in a language I don't understand, yet I understand perfectly. They are going to kill me, and sure enough I can feel the power seep out of me through their ritual just as I feel the panic spread through me instantly. I feel the blood pump around my body faster even though my body is being drained of magic._

_Smug smirks of satisfaction adorn their faces, and I can tell you it's not a good look. I clench my fists and become angry, suddenly. They are not taking me now, not after everything they've already taken from me._

_"No!" I shout, as my magic bubbles inside of me until it explodes. I feel like I'm in Math class all over again, studying equations. Witch hunters + evil chanting = pissed off Cassie._

_The effect on impact is tremendous; the explosion of my anger sends the hunters flying in all directions, dead._

I wake up suddenly, back straight as a pin, palms sweating. I look around and see the familiar setting of my room, yet it's a bit off. I turn to look at my bedside cabinet to see that my window is completely cracked.

"Shit. Triple shit," I curse as I jump out of bed. I survey the extent of the damage whilst sheer shock and horror runs through me. How could I cause this? I thought my powers were in check. But before my brain can truly process this new catastrophe, I hear my front door open.

My senses alert a red flag, and I am on the defensive. Maybe my nightmare was a forewarning...

"Cassie! I'm coming up! Are you decent?" I hear the familiar holler of Diana, and my shoulders relax. I quickly pull on my dressing gown just as Diana comes into my room.

"Good, you're awake - " she begins. "Holy crap, Cassie, what the heck happened?" She gawks at the sight of my window.

I gulp. "I threw a glass at it and it shattered," I lied. "Aftermath of a drunken bachelorette party, you know." Great. I get to give the lamest freaking excuse to my best friend on my wedding day. Smooth, Blake. Real smooth.

I can see a shadow of doubt cross over her face, but she dismisses my bald-faced lie, for now.

"Never mind, let's start getting you ready. It's your wedding day! You're getting married in - " she checks her watch - " seven hours and forty-eight minutes," she says. "Faye and Melissa will be here soon," she adds as an afterthought.

"Huh?"

"Faye and Melissa. Your bridesmaids. Cassie, are you okay?"

"What? I'm fine. Just wedding day jitters I suppose," I shrug off my total-out-of-it-ness. I'm just still stunned at my nightmare. I mean, had Diana come sooner, I might have hurt her. Soon that's all I can think about even as Diana scolds me and ushers me into the bathroom for a shower.

Forty-five minutes later, I climb out of the longest shower ever and start prepping for my dress, hair and makeup to go on. Diana is already ready - her maid-of-honor deep blue dress on, her hair straightened, makeup applied. She is one hell of a Speedy Gonzales.

"Now, Mrs Conant-to-be, let's get you ready," she says.

Mrs Conant. That's going to be my name after today. Am I really ready for this? I look down at the rock on my hand, and inhale and exhale slowly. I am ready, I tell myself. I have to be. No turning back now.

_You can always turn back_, says a voice in my head.

_Shut up_, I tell it. _I'm doing this, today, and that's final._

_Not if you don't want to_, it mocks in a singsong voice. _You still have time to change your mind... Change your mind about a decision you will regret..._

"Oh, for God's sake," I say.

"What?" Diana asks, worried.

"N-nothing," I stutter, trying to scramble for an excuse. "Just that Faye and Melissa aren't here yet, and they're hella late."

Diana frowns. "I know, it's an hour and forty-five minutes after the time they were meant to be here, and - " She is cut off by the sound of a beep from her phone, alerting her to a new text.

"Ugh," she complains.

"What?" I ask. "Is something wrong? Please don't tell me the caterer's cancelled at the last second!" Frantically, all of the possible bad scenarios flood my head.

"It's Melissa and Faye. Their car broke down on the highway and now I have to go pick them up. Will you be - "

"I'll be fine," I reply, a little too hurriedly. "You go. I'll finish getting ready, just hurry. I'm almost done anyway."

Diana flashes me a grateful smile whilst shooting daggers at the text on the phone in her palm. "I won't be long," she says as she rushes out, ready to deal with the next crisis with her calm, collected cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor.

I look in the mirror of my vanity table. My hair has been curled and styled half-up, half-down, my makeup applied by Diana's steady and my shaky hands. All there's left is to put on the dress. I get up, and remove it from it's hanger with shaking hands.

I step into the mass of white material, wondering if I should really feel this nervous and empty in the pit of my stomach...

Again, I survey myself in the mirror. Despite myself, I smile at the sight of my dress. Strapless with a sweetheart neckline, it's ruched bodice fits me like a second skin, yet the skirt falls loosely about me from my waist. I sigh. At least I look half-good, even though I can't say the same about how I feel right now.

Beneath a calm exterior, I'm just a façade covering the maelstrom ravaging my insides. My lack of control over my dark magic is increasing, and I don't know why. Almost a decade - a freaking decade - of no slip-ups. Control, calm, peace, for ten years, and all of a sudden as soon as I get engaged to Adam, my dark magic issues come back. Why? Is this the old Balcoin blood telling me to think twice? That marrying Adam is a bad idea? Why, now, after everything I've gone through, am I getting all this crap?

But if making me agitated, nervous, sweaty-palmed and have nightmares about witch-hunters is my subconscious's way of making me reconsider, it's doing a damn good job.

I can't marry Adam if it means my problems increasing, putting him in danger, putting the Circle in danger, I realize. I walk to the door, but then my eye catches something.

I spin around, only to see an old picture on the top of a large pile of notes. I make my way over to it carefully and pick it up to see that it's a picture from back when we were at high school. Me, standing in front of the abandoned house, with Jake beside me. A protective arm covers my shoulders as we both grin from ear to ear. We looked so happy.

Will I ever be that happy again, even for a split second? Can I? And can happiness be with Adam?

_You know the answer,_ says the voice in my head. _You may not want to admit it, but you know._

Suddenly, realization washes over me and I know what I have to do. All this time, I've been lying to myself, trying to alter my feelings to what I thought was reality. Without thinking, I pick up my purse lying astray and rush out of the front door.

Picking up my gown as I hurry down to my car and start the engine, I wonder what the freaking hell I'm doing. I hesitate as I put the keys into the ignition, but that voice in my head tells me to shut up and drive.

Cassie, this is it. Do it, before you make the biggest mistake of your life.

Running on pure, unadulterated adrenaline, I start my car and drive away, along an all-too familiar road, crystal-clear as to what I need to do, without a clue as to how things are going to turn out.

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><p>I drive up to the boathouse and park hurriedly. I open up the car door and run through the front doors. I know it's a gamble, but I'm guessing that Adam is in here, finishing the set-up. We decided that the boathouse was a perfect location for our wedding considering the memories we have here.<p>

Turns out I'm right. Adam, in his tux, is standing by the bar, looking out at the water through the window. I gasp, at how lovely the set-up is. Diana did her job well. As my unofficial volunteer wedding planner, she outdid herself. One would think that she would be pissed at mine and Adam's relationship, but she got over it, with the help of a certain someone from Down Under, I might add.

"Cassie?" Adam spins around quickly, surprise written all over his face. It's then that I realize just how absurd I must look, coming early to my own wedding before anybody else.

I gulp. "Adam, we need to talk," I say, uttering those four words that always seem to carry bad omens.

"What the heck are you doing here? The wedding's not for five hours. I'm not supposed to see you beforehand. Cassie, what the hell? Is something wrong?"

I can see confusion, then panic, then worry flash across his face as I ready myself for what I'm about to do.

"Adam, I'm so sorry."

His face darkens. "What's going on, Cassie, seriously?"

"I can't do this," I state plainly.

"What do you mean, you can't do this. We're getting married in less than five hours. What can't you do?"

"This," I say, gesturing all around me, at the decorations. "The wedding, everything. I just can't."

Tears spill from my eyes like the Niagara Falls, as Adam steps forwards to comfort me. He places his hands on my shoulders.

"The wedding?" he asks, trying to be gentle. "What do you mean? Do you want to postpone the wedding?"

I shake my head, unable for the words I need to say to form on my tongue. But I must.

"I can't marry you Adam. I can't walk down this aisle and say 'I do' and be your wife and have your children and live in a house with a white picket fence and have a dog and be happy. I can't do it," I gush.

Quickly, Adam pulls away, as it dawns on him what I've just said. He runs his hands through his hair, as he shakes his head. "Why?" he says, hurt. "You played me like a tambourine for almost nine years, Cassie, and now you come to tell me that you can't marry me? After everything we've been through together?"

He starts to cry, and I cry even harder. "I thought what is going on between us is real," he whispers, echoing my exact words to Jake all those years ago.

"Adam, I'm so sorry. I never wanted it to be this way. I never meant for this to happen. I'm sorry!" I cry out, desperate for him to at least understand why I'm doing this, even though he probably hates me. "I'm sorry," I say softly.

"I love you, Cassie. Why can't that be enough?"

"I'm sorry," I say simply. I'm about to leave, but as I turn around, I change my mind. I walk up to Adam, who is standing still silently. I remove his ring from my finger and place it in his cold hands.

"One day, you'll realize that I was right. That you and I, we just don't click. But someday you'll find someone who can love you the way you deserve to be loved," I say gently.

"I guess today's not that day, huh?" he replies spitefully, practically spitting at me. My eyes well up once again and I rush out of the boathouse, not realizing what I dropped.

I run to my car, get in, slam the door shut and start to drive. I need to get away from here, I say to myself. I need to put as much distance as I can between me and the man who's heart I just ripped out and tore to shreds.

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><p><em>Adam POV<em>

Numb, cold, empty. That's all I am right now. The entire essence of my being summed up in three words. I stand here, stunned as I watch my future, the woman that I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, run out the doors.

I thought that when she ran out of here in that dress on this day, it would be holding my hand, wearing my ring, bearing my last name, sharing my life. Instead, she's running out with tears streaming down her face, having just dumped me less than five hours before our wedding.

I don't how how long I've been standing until I hear my cell phone ring. I ignore it. Frankly, I'm not in the mood. When I do walk to the door to close it, it's because the cold air is coming in. Funny how the weather starts to reflect your moods, especially on particularly shitty days.

As I'm about to close the doors, I notice that I stepped on something. I look down, and pick it up. And for a second, my heart stops.

It's a picture of Cassie and _him_ - Jake. That piece of scum with his arm wrapped around Cassie, a photo from years ago.

My blood goes from frozen to boiling in a matter of seconds. Of course, he had to play a part in this. He had to help ruin my life - again.

I should have known that this would happen. I should have known that no matter what, it was always going to be this way.

_God, why did I even bother trying?_ I ask myself, as a single tear drops from my eye to fall on the picture, just where Cassie's smiling mouth is.

_Why did I bother picking up the pieces of Cassie after he shattered her, shattered the Circle. Why did I even try when I knew that ultimately, I was never going to be enough._

I was never going to be him.

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><p><strong>What do ya think? Leave a comment, PM or review to let me know. Also, tell me how you want Jake and Cassie's reunion to be staged.<strong>

**1) Cassie ends up in an accident and Jake saves her (what caused the accident, how was Jake near Cassie at the right time?)**

**2) Cassie runs away to a yet-to-be-decided-upon location just to get away only to find that Jake is there as well. (why is he there, where should this location be?)**

**3) Cassie goes on a wild-goose chase looking for Jake (how would she find him, where would he be, what has he been doing this whole time?)**

**Sorry for the long wait, but I'll make it up to you via the reunion. Don't forget to review!**

**Xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

**Playing Games Chapter 9**

**Before you throw the rotten fruit/eggs/dirty old gym socks, let me say two things:**

**1) CW, what the flying f*** were you thinking canceling your third-highest-rated show? You imbeciles! And to leave us on a cliffhanger? Really? If it wasn't for the amazingness that is The Vampire Diaries and Nikita I would boycott you dumbasses faster than you can say Francis Balcoin.**

**2) Huge apologies to all who are following this story. My muse kinda died once the show got cancelled and a whole bunch of personal stuff combined with a crazy end of semester was a major c***blocker between my brain and the completion of this fic. But don't worry; I'm back with a vengeance! Jake and Cassie WILL get the closure they need whether or not the CW was smart enough to give it to them.**

**Make sure to leave a review. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

The sky roars with thunder as lightning rips through clouds. A torrential downpour is under way, and shows no sign whatsoever of letting up. The windscreen wipers go back and forth, back and forth, trying to momentarily make it easier for me to see.

They don't.

Even if the Washington sky was cloudless and clear, my eyesight would still be impaired, hampered by the constant welling of my eyes, the never-ending flow of corrosive tears, the bottomless well of pain, the acute aching felt by every nerve ending and fiber of my being.

It freaking _hurts_.

My shaky hands grip the wheel until the blood has drained from my fingers, leaving them cold and limp and white. They look dead. I look dead, in fact. A ghost. A ghost bride - wait, no, scratch that - a _runaway _bride. With my tear-streaked face, mascara running down my cheeks, rumpled dress and birds-nest hair, I think I could give Miss Havisham a run for her money.

The events of the day seem to blur into one another, like memories that bleed into one another. Really, it's pretty damn terrifying how fast time flies when you're screwing up other people's lives and turning yours upside down. Within the space of roughly two hours I had realized that, nine years after I sent him packing, I'm still hung up on my sort-of ex-boyfriend (we were never official, or _together_, for that matter), called off my own wedding - to a guy that I've been leading on for almost a decade - and skipped town. I don't know for how long, I don't know where to. I just know that I can't stay in Chance Harbor.

I can't watch my life fall apart in front of my eyes. I can't watch everything I've achieved, the relationships I've built fade away because I was in denial. I mean, think about it – the rest of the Circle are not only going to be royally ticked off that I dumped my boyfriend/fiancé of nine years out of left field, but to realize that it's over the guy that tried to betray us… Shit, they are going to be _pissed_.

So, basically, I'm running away from my life. It's fragile enough as it is, a thousand fragments held together, a house of cards one gust of wind from crumbling to pieces.

Well, it looks now that it's crumbled.

Breaking up with Adam so out of the blue shocks even me, knowing that I could be so cruel so him, albeit unintentionally. I don't know why I led him on for so long – I guess I was just afraid of being alone, and after all that we had been through together as a circle, I mistook whatever feelings I had for him as love. I've never loved anyone else before… except from Jake.

Seeing that photograph of when we were so happy makes me ache, knowing that if I had followed through with the wedding, I could never be that happy, that content… that _carefree_. It was taken back when the world was brimming with possibilities and for a moment, in between all of the madness of black magic and witch hunters, we could just sit back and pretend that we were nothing more, and nothing less than a group of teenagers. For a day, we played pretend. For a second, we smiled, and laughed and hung out.

There is more love and hope in the one smile in that one picture than I think there has even been between Adam and me. In the back of my mind I knew he wasn't _it_ for me, but he was kind, and stable, and safe. And _there_. And Jake wasn't. He wasn't _there_.

Jake was unpredictable – one day hot, the next day, cold. A relationship with him would always have been rocky to begin with, but at least it would have been exciting. We would have fought all day and kissed all night, no barriers between love and hate. The line between the two is a tightrope, and he and I, together, would have walked it like acrobats every day of our lives. We are both passionate people, ruled by emotions, yet in a strange way, we balance each other out. Our fierce feelings inevitably result in conflict, but we would always resolve it. We would have spent our lives in a battle of emotions, both of us stubbornly refusing to concede defeat – so we would both always win, together.

But this is all speculation. Because Jake _isn't_ here. We _aren't_ together, and at the end of the day I have only myself to blame. It was my fault. I sent him away, even though I had cared about him before I knew how he liked his coffee (black), even though I would have forgiven him for any wrongdoing the moment he admitted to it. Because he had changed - that or he had never really been evil to begin with. Just lost. But he found himself - just as I was losing myself. And he could have helped me find myself too. But I sent him away.

It's entropy, I guess. All great things fall apart. All lives end, all memories fade, all perfections become scarred. Jake and I were great before we even started - the possibility of us ended before there was a 'we' to start.

We could have – no – we _would have_ been so beautiful.

And with that thought in my mind, with the tears on my face and their saltiness on my tongue, I don't notice that I'm in the wrong lane. I don't notice that there is a distant noise of a blaring horn. I don't even notice the gleam of the headlights of the car that is heading straight for me.

And then, in between all of the emptiness, there is a something - a pain spreading from my heart to my body - and then the nothingness envelops me, the blackness of the dark bleeding into my mind like the redness of my veins bleeds from my skin.

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><p><strong>So, this chapter is fairly short and completely all over the place so I'm still not 100% happy with it. I am trying to set up the JakeCassie reunion in this chapter as well as explore Cassie's feelings after dumping Adam, but am a bit unsure. Should I...**

**1) Have Cassie taken to the hospital and have Jake visit her there (how would Jake find out about Cassie's accident?)**

**2) Have Cassie left by the roadside and half-stumble to the nearest house, only to find Jake is the current occupant (why did the driver leave her there - is it a hit and run?)**

**3) Have Jake be the driver of the car (why he would be heading towards Chance Harbor?)**

**Anyways, feel free to review or PM me with your thoughts.**

**In other news, I have also become addicted to the CW's Nikita - it is badass, action-packed, smooth and sexy yet seriously underrated. I am currently working on a fic for that AMAZING show (probably Sean/Alex) which should be up in a week or less. So go and give that show some love and watch it, and tell everyone you know to watch it too. I have had my heart broken way too many times over a TV show's untimely, premature cancellation (and TSC fans can damn sure sympathize) so I'm SPREADING THE WORD. So go watch Nikita. Now.**

**And while you're at it, give me some love too, and leave a review. ;-)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So, again with the updating thing... If you've been following this story, you'll be quite aware that I am quite a sporadic *cough*shitty*cough* updater. Due to some personal problems on top of being suffocated under homework, something had to give - in this instance, it was FF. But I'm back from my painfully long Hiatus (at least for now).**

**Anyhoo, have mercy and enjoy! (At least, those who are amazing enough to keep reading despite our lovely show's untimely demise and my updating awfulness.)**

**Oh, and I apologize in advance for having no medical knowledge whatsoever. Everything I know comes from my best friend who wants to be a surgeon (guess who gets roped into helping with the Biology revision).**

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><p><em>Cassie POV<em>

My eyelids flicker, letting the bright white light through for nanoseconds. Don't worry, not _that_ white light - it's the white light of the industrial-level lighting in the room I am in.

Something in my brain forces me to open my heavy lids, and suddenly, my world is flooded with more light, and the sound of voices, some hushed, others not. A tall woman with dark hair and clear green eyes in nurses' scrubs sees that I am awake, albeit barely, and calls for the doctor, a fortysomething redhead with glasses and a name tag that reads _Dr. K Johnson_.

'Hello,' she says pleasantly. 'Good to see you're awake. My name is Dr. Johnson.' Then, after examining my vitals, she says, 'all good,' to the nurse.

'Wh-where am I?' I ask groggily, trying to piece together the events that led to me being dressed in an infernal shapeless hospital gown.

'You're in hospital. You were in an accident.'

Images come flooding back as she utters those words: the splattering of rain on the windows, the headlights of a truck blurred by the water spilling from both my eyes and over the earth, the blaring horns of the vehicle before I crashed, the dull ache of pain my mind registered before the blackness...

'What happened to me?' I manage to choke out.

'Six broken ribs, a fracture to the left arm, a broken right arm, minor glass perforations to the skin, head trauma...' Dr. Johnson rattles off. 'Given the severity of the crash, it's rather miraculous that you survived without any more damage.'

'And the other car?' I ask, nervous. I know full well that it was my fault for driving whilst having a mental breakdown, and that whatever went down as a result of it is basically all my fault.

Dr. Johnson hesitates slightly. 'The other car was... not as fortunate. There were no fatalities, but the driver was severely injured.'

I sigh in relief, glad that I didn't actually kill someone because of my carelessness, but am still guilt-wrecked - someone innocent was hurt. It's not a good feeling.

'I'm glad they're okay,' I say.

Dr. Johnson flashes me a smile, sure to make whoever hammered the protocol of bedside manner into her head proud. 'I'm sure you're aware that the police will have to take your statement,' she says, 'and your insurance company will have to be informed about the damage to your car.'

'Of course,' I reply, mentally groaning. 'Oh, and Doc? When can I get out of here?'

'You've been healing nicely, so hopefully we can discharge you in a day or two. But, your arm will be in a sling for about six weeks.'

'As long as I'm walking, I'll be fine,' I reply.

Her pager beeps, signaling the requirement of her presence somewhere else. 'Sorry,' she says. 'I've got to go. If you need anything, let Clara here know,' she adds, referring to my dark-haired nurse, before the moves on to the next invalid.

So, I broke off my engagement on my wedding day, caused a car crash and now am in hospital because of it. Murphy's Law is becoming the story of my life more and more by the minute.

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><p>The pain medication these doctors have put me on has got to be incredibly strong, because I have been drifting in and out of consciousness for the last 48 hours. Images from the breakup with Adam and the crash are flashing in my mind's eye, and the lines between my nightmare and this reality have been blurry to say the least. That, or I banged myself up pretty bad, and the 5ml of morphine is doing its job.<p>

At any rate, today is the day Dr. Johnson is going to discharge me, releasing me back into the world. To be honest, I don't know if I even want to go back. On one hand, I don't want to be isolated from the world forever, but considering the deep shit I'm in, staying in my safe little cocoon for a while hardly seems to be the worst case scenario.

I sign the last section of my discharge papers with a shaky left hand, seeing as my right hand is currently in a cast. I stand at the nurses' station, and wait for a nurse to bring me back my now-bloody wedding dress. It was completely ruined during the crash, but I've specifically asked that I be given it back, so I can burn it myself. I need to move on from the accident, and I feel that by seeing that girl, the girl who broke Adam's heart and led him on for almost a decade, go up in flames with the dress that she picked for a ceremony that didn't happen, can help me do that.

So I wait.

Soon enough, I begin rapping my knuckles against the counter in a subconscious display of frustration. I tap a beat to myself, letting my mind wander...

At long last, the nurse returns, a presumably soiled dress neatly placed in a large brown bag. It has been folded in such a way that I cannot see the blood (of which there is a great deal) even if I open the bag and peer into it.

'Here you go, miss,' says the nurse with a friendly smile. 'We didn't do anything to, just folded it to put away. Didn't think you'd want it changed if you want to back...'

'Yes, thank you,' I reply, perhaps quickly. I just want to get the bag and get out of here. The septic cleanliness and smell of antibiotic soap (two words: not nice) is making me more than just a little bit stir crazy. 'So am I all good to go?' I ask, wanting to make sure there are no last-minute changes that need to be made.

'Looks good. You are officially discharged,' replies the nurse. 'Take care now.'

'You too,' I say politely. 'Thank you so much for everything,' I add.

Breathing out in contentment, I make my way towards the exit.

That's when I hear it - the voice calling out to me.

'Cassie! Cassie Blake!'

At first I think it is a nurse reminding me that I have forgotten something, a purse or keys or something. Then, the realization that it is a _male_ voice dawns upon me.

A very _specific_ male voice. A male voice that even though it has been near a decade, has the same intonation when calling out my name.

Slowly, I turn around.

_Oh god,_ I think. _It's him_.

_It's Jake._

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><p><strong>AN: Dun dun dun! So what do you think? As usual, you have three options.**

**1) Jake and Cassie have a loud, public confrontation in the hospital. (What do they say?)**

**2) Jake takes Cassie back to his place where they hash out all their drama, this time in a more private setting.**

**3) Cassie and Jake briefly catch up before she heads back home to Chance Harbor.**

**Up to you, as per usual. Once again, I'm SO SO SO sorry for going on hiatus. As you can tell, I have the whole 'temperamental artist' thing going on. That, or am lazy. You choose. ;-)**

**As always, reviews are appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So, despite the fact that I have eight exams coming up, I figured there's no better way to distract myself than to write the next chapter of this baby. You might have guessed already, but I'm quite the chronic procrastinator.**

**Now, I present to you... The reunion (kind of).**

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><p><em><strong>Cassie POV<strong>_

My heart rate accelerates at rocket speed, and I can hear the steady beating as clearly as the beeping of the heart rate monitor I was hooked up to only hours ago. The _thud-thud_ is hammering in my chest like a heavy metal drum solo, my ragged breathing sending shivers down my spine.

There's all of that, plus the sheer _shock_. The shock of seeing someone after a decade, of coming face to face with them after they had ripped your heart from you, stomped all over it, and put it back in your chest. _That_ is what I am feeling in this moment.

'Jake?' I choke out in barely a whisper. 'Jake Armstrong?'

'The one and only,' replies Jake with the ghost of a smile. 'It's you, right? Cassie Blake?'

'It's me,' I confirm.

'What are you doing here?' He asks, gesturing to the hospital surrounding us.

'I could ask you the same thing,' I fire back.

Jake moves closer to me, and I see him properly for the first time. He is decked out in dark green scrubs and a white lab coat, with a stack of folders in one hand. 'I work here.'

'You're a doctor?' I ask disbelievingly. Jake Armstrong, the bad boy playboy of the Western seaboard chose to go into medicine, of all things? Christ, he could have gone into modeling and would have lived the freaking high life.

'Actually, I'm a surgical resident,' he corrects, and it's most likely my imagination, or residual effects of my pain medication, but I see him straighten his back as he says so,almost like a bird fluffing out its feathers in pride.

'Wow. You changed a lot since we last... saw each other,' I say.

'You mean after you kicked me out of your life? Yeah, I have changed, Cassie. It's been nine years.' A bitter tone seeps into his voice for a moment, and I wince internally at the reminder of our last meeting.

'Look, Jake, I -'

'It's okay, Cassie. I didn't mean it like that. You don't have to say anything. I get it,' interjects Jake, sighing.

'It's fine, really,' I say quickly. 'I should go anyway. Take care, Jake,' I add as I turn to leave.

Then, Jake lunges forward and grabs my arm. 'Wait. My shift ends in five minutes. Just wait here, okay? We can talk, catch up.'

I look at him, wide-eyed, taken aback. My first instinct is to run for the hills (well, the door) but then I check myself. What are the chances of us meeting here after all these years. This is a chance, an opportunity to clear the air between us, to move on past the hurt, the betrayal. I need to get over what happened; I need to get over Jake.

I sigh, and nod my head in confirmation. Jake smiles. 'Thank you,' he says. 'I'll be back in no time.'

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><p>'So, this is your place?' I ask as Jake leads me into his studio apartment.<p>

'Yeah, mine and two other second-years,' Jake replies.

'Guys?' I ask, lifting one of several dirty socks from the floor.

Jake looks sheepish. 'Yeah, we aren't the neatest people,' he says.

'I can see that. When was the last time you guys cleaned in here?'

Jake shrugs. 'A week, maybe ten days? I'm not sure. I've been working the night shift the last few days so dusting hasn't really been a priority.'

I take off my coat and hang it up on the nearest hook, also setting my bag containing my soiled wedding dress down on the floor. 'Where do you keep the vacuum cleaner?' I ask.

Jake raises an eyebrow. 'Why do you need to know?'

I can't help but let a small smile take over my face. 'Because we are going to clean this pigsty up,' I answer.

'But I thought we were going to -'

'- Talk. Yes, we are,' I say firmly. 'But I refuse to sit down on that couch,' I add, gesturing to the seating area full of old beer bottles, pizza boxes and remains of old takeaway dinners.

Jake's line of vision follows my arm, and he cringes slightly. 'Ok, you have a point. That is pretty filthy.'

I smirk. 'So, where's the vacuum cleaner?'

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><p><em><strong>Jake POV<strong>_

An hour and a half later, and the living/dining room is clean. Exhausted and dishevelled-looking, Cassie and I sit down on the couch (now removed of last Thursday's dinner). I hand her a cold beer from the fridge and open one for myself.

'Wow,' she says with a sigh, taking a sip of the cool dark liquid.

'Wow is correct,' I reply, sounding equally tired. 'Who knew that cleaning could be so strenuous?'

'Well, if you hadn't let it get so bad, we wouldn't have had to carry out this monumental feat,' she retorts semi-playfully. 'You were never this messy.'

'You were never such a neat-freak,' I counter.

We laugh for a moment, and then all is quiet. Cue awkward silence.

Then, I speak. 'Hey, you look really tired, maybe you should get some rest,' I suggest.

Cassie shakes her head. 'I'm fine,' she says. 'We should, you know, talk.'

'Where do we start?' I ask. I feel almost afraid to start telling her about the last nine years. I don't want to have to dig up all of those feelings - the hurt, the pain. I don't want to relive what I did to her. I'm not that man anymore - at least I hope not.

I take a drink of the beer.

Cassie takes a deep breath. 'We could always start with the present,' she suggests. 'I mean, a doctor? Nobody would've guessed that.'

'What, did you expect me to go to jail and spend the rest of my life doing time?' I tease, yet under the joking attitude there is the knowledge that others' expectations of me used to be so low, and the hope that someday, they will be different.

'I don't know,' says Cassie. 'I didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't expect to see you again.' There is another pause, during which we both take a gulp.

'Well, to answer you question,' I begin, 'when I left Chance Harbor for the second time, I had no clue what to do, where my life was going. At first, I travelled a lot, saw the country. I was on the road for a while, did a few odd jobs, always on the move, never settling for too long.'

'And then? Something obviously changed for you,' Cassie remarks.

'Yeah, I ran into someone I knew from my witch-hunting days,' I say. I can see Cassie tense slightly. 'He offered me a new mission - a series of smaller kills in the South. I declined.'

'Why?'

'Because of you,' I say sadly. 'Telling you about my betrayal was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. The pain I caused... I knew that I couldn't do that to someone else. No matter who they were, the were always going to be someone's daughter, or son, or friend. They were someone else's Cassie.'

'How did you end up getting from ex-witch-hunter to doctor?' Cassie asks, obviously trying to ignore my last sentence.

'I realized that I had to do something with my life, I had to make it count. I came back to the West Coast, and this is as close to Chance Harbor as possible to make it familiar, but far away enough to not break the deal we made. I left, you didn't kill me.'

'I never could have killed you,' Cassie says quietly, with a faraway look in her eyes. 'I didn't have it in me.'

'I know,' I reply softly.

'But you left anyway?'

'I did wrong, and I had to respect the boundaries, accept the consequences. You banishing me was a small price to pay for the lives that I took, that I ruined. So I came here and decided to work to try and save lives to - '

'- to make up for the ones you took,' Cassie interjects.

'No, to try,' I correct. 'Nothing can make up for it, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life with that guilt.'

Cassie takes a long, hard look at me, studying me. 'You really changed,' she says finally.

'I hope so,' I reply honestly. 'At least, I hope that the eight years of college were worth it,' I add dryly.

A smile spreads over Cassie's face, and I can't help but feel a familiar ache in my heart - a good ache. The ache of having made her smile, if just for a short while.

'So, what's your story?' I ask her, after a moment.

'My story?'

'Yeah, what happened to you in the last nine years? Why were you here in the first place? In the hospital?' Then, realization seeps into me. 'Oh, god, Cassie, are you okay?'

'Relax, relax. I'm fine - now,' Cassie says. 'One question at a time.'

I take a deep breath, and finish off my beer. 'Why were you in my hospital, in this city?'

Cassie holds up her similarly empty beer bottle, and points to my own. 'You might need another one of those to hear this,' she suggests.

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><p><strong>AN: So, how do you like it? This is only part one of the conversation, as I wanted to spread it out over two chapters. **

**Leave me your thoughts, suggestions, etc. As always, reviews are love!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck with my sucky updating and this fic for so long - you have my eternal love and gratitude! As promised, the second part of Cassie and Jake's conversation...**

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><p><em><strong>Cassie POV<strong>_

Breathe in, breathe out. In, out. This is what I tell myself to steady my fast heart rate and consequential heavy breathing. I know that I have to tell my story eventually. It's just that I have no idea where to start.

'After you left, and we crushed Eben and his witch-hunters, we all went off to college,' I begin, deciding to commence at a relatively decent starting-point.

'Yeah, where to?' asks Jake.

'We all stayed on or near the West Coast, except Faye,' I say. 'She was always too independent for her own good.'

Jake chuckles. 'So what did you all study? It's hard to imagine what you are all like now, as I didn't really get a chance to know you properly.'

'Diana went to Law School, Adam stayed in Chance Harbor to do Business, Melissa became a grief counselor, Faye went into Politics and I did Medieval History,' I rattle off.

Jake raises an eyebrow. 'Medieval History? Why?'

I shrug. 'Senior year and crushing witch-hunters may have gotten a bit mixed up,' I reason. 'I guess I wanted to know more about the age when my ancestors were burned alive.'

'Certainly an interesting course,' Jake says drily. 'So, want to tell me just what you were up to in my hospital?'

And like that, the seriousness is heightened, the tension palpable, the gravity of the situation spotlighted. Now here is the tough part. 'After a while, Adam and I got closer,' I begin nervously. 'We did the whole long-distance relationship thing when I was at college, and then I moved back to Chance Harbor after graduation. After a while, Adam and I got engaged. The wedding was meant to be a week ago.'

Jake shifts awkwardly in his seat. 'What happened?' he asks, curiosity and discomfort evident in his voice.

I look down at the wooden floor. I am scared, scared of how he will react. 'I called off the engagement on the morning of the wedding,' I spit out finally. I exhale deeply; this is the first time I've ever said it out loud. 'I called it off and then I got out of Chance Harbor as fast as I possibly could.'

Eyes teeming with concern, Jake's voice is soft when he asks me, 'then how did you end up in hospital?'

I stand, and walk over and fetch my bag from the side of the room. Carefully, I lift the soiled dress from the bag and lift it up so Jake can see, so he can witness my injury through my attire. 'You'll find that I'm quite happy to testify to the fact that tears and traffic do not mix,' I say, attempting a slightly more light-hearted angle. 'My car met a truck on the highway and the result wasn't pretty.'

Jake stands up suddenly and looks at me with a pained expression. 'Cassie...' he begins.

'It's okay, I'm fine now,' I insist adamantly. Jake shakes his head and walks to me in a single stride, engulfing me in a tight hug.

My body immediately tenses; it's been so long since our bodies touched that it sends a jolt of electricity right up my spine. Then, I feel my muscles relax as I sink into Jake's embrace, as tears stream down my face. My body shakes with sobs, as I am crying, crying for everything that happened to us, to him, to me. I am crying, I am letting free all of the pain I had bottled up inside of me, and believe you me, there is a lot. And in Jake's arms I am freeing myself of the pain. In his arms I am free.

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><p><em><strong>Jake POV<strong>_

After Cassie's sobs have quietened down, I can tell she is exhausted, the weight of telling me about her life obviously having tired her. She slowly detaches herself from me body, where she has been glued to for the duration of her tears.

She looks straight at me, her tear-strained face looking fragile and vulnerable. She gives me a sad smile. 'I'm sorry. I've made you all wet,' she says.

I brush a tear from her cheek with my thumb. 'Don't worry about it,' I reply. 'I hated this T-shirt anyway.'

Cassie laughs slightly, then sniffles. 'Look, I'll show you to my room. You need to get some sleep,' I say firmly. 'I will sleep on the couch.'

'Oh, I couldn't - '

'Yes, you can,' I interrupt. 'And you _will._ Come on.'

I show her into my room, which, although it looks like a landfill site, has clean sheets and is warm. I rummage in my drawers and pull out an old pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. I hand them to her. 'You can sleep in these,' I say. 'Goodnight. If you need anything, just give me a holler.'

'Thank you,' Cassie replies. 'And Jake?'

'Yes?'

'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight, Cassie.'

I turn around and shut the door behind me, heading to the fridge to pull out a cold beer. I make my way to the couch, and turn on the TV. In the background a game plays quietly, but my mind is elsewhere, processing the information overload my brain has gone into.

The various career paths my former circle members have embarked on comes to me not at all a surprise. To be honest, neither does Cassie and Adam getting together. I knew that he was interested in her, and was probably elated that I had left after coming clean to Cassie. In all fairness though, I'm glad she had someone, even if it wasn't me. At least she was able to move on.

_You didn't want her to, though_, says the voice in the back of my head.

_Shut up,_ I respond to it. _Of course I'm glad that Cassie was happy._

_But was she really?_ it presses on. _I mean, she did break up with Adam._

_That's got nothing to do with me,_ I remind the voice. _Cassie called off the wedding for her own reasons, none of which are to do with me._

_But you want to be a reason,_ says the voice, sing-song. _You want to still be a part of her life._

_Well, I can't,_ I reason firmly. _I threw any chance I had with Cassie away before I even met her._

I take a gulp of beer, and from the eruption of noise from the screen in front of me, I know that a team has scored, winning the game. I glance up, more out of habit than curiosity, only to see that the winners had clinched the title after coming back from being 4 points behind.

_See that? You never know,_ says the voice quietly. _Don't underestimate the underdog. You may have a chance yet._

'Oh, shut up,' I reply out loud.

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><p><strong>AN: This fic is sadly reaching its end, with maybe two or three chapters to go (including an epilogue). However, I haven't quite decided how to end it, so in keeping with the rest of the fic, I'm going to let you choose.**

**1) Jake learns about the real reasons why Cassie left Adam (uh, him)**

**2) Jake takes Cassie back to Chance Harbor where they come face to face with the gang. Adam thinks they are together and they must come to terms with the fact that this may be a reality.**

**3) A combination of both.**

**All comments, suggestions, criticisms and reviews are greatly appreciated. Let me know your thoughts!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I think by now readers of this fic will be accustomed to my thoroughly shitty updating habits, but I'm still sorry for taking this long.**

**Anyhow, presenting chapter thirteen - enjoy! **

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><p><em><strong>Cassie POV<strong>_

When I wake up in a strange bed, in strange clothes, I am temporarily disoriented. Mind spinning, eyes still heavy from the weight of the river of tears I bled onto Jake last night. _His poor T-shirt._

I pull myself out of bed and walk out of the bedroom into the main living area. There, Jake appears to be making a pot of coffee in the kitchen. When he sees me, he looks up and smiles.

'Nice bedhead,' he remarks.

'Good morning to you too,' I tease in reply.

He gestures to the pot. 'Coffee?'

'Please,' I respond gratefully. God knows I need the caffeine. I glance at the clock on the wall, which is displaying the time as half past nine. 'Um, shouldn't you be at work right now?' I ask.

Jake shrugs as he sets the steaming cup in front of me. 'I took a sick day. I figured I'd show you around the city while you're passing through.'

'You didn't have to do that,' I say. 'Listen, Jake, I really appreciate everything you've done for me and it was great to see you again - '

' - But you should probably get back to Chance Harbor,' he finishes for me. I see a fleeting flicker of disappointment flash in his eyes before he blinks, and they return to their usual selves.

I place my hand on top of his and reply apologetically, 'I'm sorry. It's just, I left in a really bad way, and they're probably all worried. Anyway, I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome.'

He looks at me, piercingly. 'It's okay, Cassie. I understand. And you're always welcome here,' he adds. Then, he removes his hand from mine, far too quickly for my liking, and grabs his leather jacket from the couch. 'That doesn't mean I can't at least drive you home,' he says, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, reminiscent of his early badboy days. The days when I knew him.

'I suppose it is a little late for you to go into work, considering that rounds started about four hours ago,' I say finally.

He smiles boyishly. 'Great. Be ready to go in half an hour.'

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><p><em><strong>Jake POV<strong>_

An hour later (she had to shower, and the closest thing to a hair-dryer that I had was a goddamn portable heater) we head for the road. I offer to take turns driving, but she shrugs it off, "not wanting to get behind the wheel quite yet." _Of course, _I think._ The accident._ I kick myself and my own stupidity for even bringing it up by asking.

As we travel the familiar roads back to the familiar town, a wave of nostalgia sweeps over me. I haven't returned to Chance Harbor since... well, you know when. And the thought of seeing the rest of my former circle - my former friends - is enough to make my palms sweat ever so slightly despite the cool fall winds.

'So, what's changed in good old Chance Harbor?' I ask Cassie, breaking our peaceful silence.

'Not much,' she replies. 'Sometimes it feels like that place is just frozen in time. I guess it's kinda comforting. You know, knowing that some things will never change.'

'Yeah,' I exhale more than say, even though that kind of sameness is something that my bustling city life has never quite afforded me; and a part of me yearns for it, despite my nomadic nature.

'One thing has changed though,' Cassie comments suddenly. 'Adam finally changed the wooden decking of the Boathouse.'

'What, one too many barfights resulting in a little too much blood on the planks?' I joke. _I probably contributed a fair amount of blood to that collection back in my day, _I think._ Maybe a wisdom tooth too._

Cassie laughs, but somehow appears wistful at the same time. I can't help but wonder if she regrets leaving, if she misses him, is she is looking forward to seeing him again. Adam. The very name on my tongue tastes like vomit - I want to expel it from my body like cheap beer when I'm hungover.

'So, on a scale of one to ten, how pissed off do you think they'll be?' she asks me after a while.

'Do you really want me to answer that?' I joke in reply. I turn sideways and see her laugh, yet the smile never reaches her eyes. Her muscles are tight and tense from nervousness. 'Hey, don't worry,' I say, in an attempt to reassure her. 'It'll be fine.'

'You think so?' she asks, a tinge of hope audible in her voice.

'Yeah, I think so,' I repeat.

'It's just - everyone came for the wedding, and now they have to clean up the gigantic mess I left behind, and Adam...' Here she falters, before clearing her throat. 'Adam had to deal with me dumping him on what was supposed to be the best day of his life.'

'Do you regret it?' I say quietly, almost too afraid of the answer to ask.

'What, leaving? No. I just wish I had had the sense to not let it get that far between us. I guess a part of me always knew it wasn't going to work out.'

'But you wanted it to anyway,' I supply.

We fall back into a peaceful silence, as neither of us wants this conversation to be continued. I revert back to concentrating on the road ahead, for Cassie's sake if not my own. But ever so often, I can't help but steal glances at her from out of the corner of my eye. She looks so serene, yet pensive, watching the Washington scenery disappear from behind the glass panes of the window so fast it's like the landscape is moving against us in the opposite direction.

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><p><strong><em>Cassie POV<em>**

'So, do you want me to drop you off at your house, or - ' Jake's voice asks, breaking me from my reverie.

'Um, well I think we should head to the Boathouse, if that's okay. Maybe get a bite to eat?' I suggest, even though a burning desire to eat is definitely not the motivating factor for going to the Boathouse. I have to see Adam, clear everything up between us, or just plain let him know that I didn't just disappear of the face of the Earth. It's obvious I'm sprouting a white lie, but if Jake suspects a thing, he's not letting on, for which I am grateful.

'Sure,' he replies. 'The Boathouse. Do they still serve the best cheese fries in town?'

'You'll have to order some to find out,' I retort playfully.

We drive the small-town streets until we approach the familiar venue of our high-school days. I fiddle with the hem of my T-shirt nervously. A part of me wants to take a U-turn and head right back the way we came, out of this town. But I left without thinking straght, and we all know where that got me - inside a hospital bed. So I need to see Adam - he deserves an apology at the very least after I just left him there. He deserves more than what I did to him.

We enter the parking lot, and when we grind to a halt in the spaces between the faded lines imprinted on the road, Jake turns to me.

'Do you want me to stay inside, while you - ?' he asks carefully.

Crimson spreads across my cheeks like wildfire, or an infection. 'Actually, it wouldn't hurt if I could go in there and have at least one person on my side,' I reply, trying to look anywhere but into his pools of concern.

He smiles in return. 'Sure thing. But if he punches a tooth out, you're wiping the blood,' he adds light-heartedly. But I can't help but wonder if he's really joking.

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><p><strong><em>Jake POV<em>**

We walk into the Boathouse, and a wave of nostalgia and memories flood over me like I'm standing in the middle of the ocean at high tide. I can see Cassie beside me, her eyes darting around nervously.

'Hey, it'll be okay,' I tell her, my hand brushing against her arm.

She smiles gratefully in return. 'I know. It's just, being here again -'

_'You!'_ shouts a voice, interrupting Cassie. Both of our heads spin from each other to the direction of the voice.

Standing in front of us, an angry expression mixed with surprise plastered all over his face, is Adam.

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><p><strong>AN: I know, a cliffie. (cackles wickedly). Let me know how awful I am, and how you think the Jake/Cassie/Adam confrontation should go down - because I'll be damned if I write a story without at least one confrontation! As alway, feedback is appreciated.**


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